Winter was coming to an end.
The Li Fuel Company was running smoothly, the Merchant Guild was stable,
and Li Tian possessed everything people in this world only dreamed of—
money, control, influence.
But one night…
for the first time, he felt helplessness.
---
Reality Check – The Murim World
An outer trade route of the Guild was attacked.
The caravan was safe—
but the guards were injured.
The attackers were masked martial artists.
Swords.
Qi bursts.
In a single move, trained guards were taken down.
Li Tian read the report.
His mind immediately began to calculate—
Profits: recoverable
Goods: replaceable
But…
"The power gap is unacceptable,"
he said to himself.
In the Murim world,
money offers protection—
as long as the one in front of you can be bought.
But martial artists?
Cultivators?
They follow different rules.
---
The Limit of Shadow Veil
The leader of Shadow Veil said it plainly—
"We are assassins.
We don't fight frontline wars."
Li Tian nodded.
"I understand."
At that moment, he accepted the truth—
> Being just a merchant is not enough.
To survive in Murim… you must become strong yourself.
---
The Need for Cultivation
Li Tian sat alone in his room.
Martial manuals lay on the table—
purchased through the Guild's connections.
He read a few pages…
and understood immediately.
"These are inefficient."
Qi circulation was vague.
Training methods were outdated.
Progress was slow—dependent on talent.
But he had one thing no cultivator possessed—
scientific understanding + an optimization mindset.
"Qi is also energy,"
he thought.
"And energy flow can be optimized."
---
Decision – The Dual Path
Li Tian made his final resolve.
1. Learn martial arts — for survival
2. Analyze cultivation — to build a system
Becoming a master of the sword or fist was not the goal.
The goal was—
> To turn cultivation itself into a controllable system.
---
Manhua Moment – Foreshadowing
Mu Qinglan asked him,
"What more do you want?
You're already one of the most powerful merchants in the city."
Li Tian replied quietly—
"In Murim, a merchant lives only
as long as a cultivator allows him to."
Then he lifted his gaze.
"This time…
I won't ask for permission."
---
End Panel
Li Tian stands in the courtyard.
A simple practice sword in his hand.
Around him, the snow is slowly melting.
---